The long-delayed El Tiempo at 12440 Northwest Freeway is expected to open tomorrow, Dec. 20, according to co-owner and executive chef Domenic Laurenzo, grandson of the legendary restaurateur Mama Ninfa Laurenzo. The site, the former Red Onion restaurant, is a 250-seat restaurant with a patio that is expected to open later.

Laurenzo said 2018 has been a pivotal year for the company which saw one of its most popular locations, 1308 El Tiempo Cantina, finally shutter on Nov. 11 to make way for a new apartment development. That closure brought down to seven the number of El Tiempos in the greater Houston area. The opening of the store on the Northwest Freeway, however, brings the restaurant count back up to eight.

And another on the way: Laurenzo said the next El Tiempo, in the former Texas Land & Cattle restaurant at 12710 Southwest Freeway in Stafford, is scheduled to open in May 2019.

Greg Moragowrites about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.